LEYTON: Fury over plan to build on cricket ground

PLANS to build a large school on a sports ground in Leyton have provoked furious opposition from residents and teachers.

The council is currently consulting on plans to merge George Mitchell Secondary School, Norlington School for Boys and Beaumont Primary to create a school trust under the Building Schools for the
Future Programme (BSF).

The new school, dubbed a “learning and leisure campus”, will be built on land at the Leyton Youth Centre, in High Road, as well as on the current George Mitchell site in Farmer Road.

The council’s application to change the use of the land has alarmed residents, who believe it will be impossible to site a 1,700 pupil school on the site without there being a significant loss of
green space on the adjoining cricket ground – although the council has insisted that only a “minimal” amount of space will have to be sacrificed.

Lin Walton, of Forest Drive East, Leytonstone, said: “This is the old county ground site, a wonderful green oasis in Leyton which could soon be lost to building work.”

Gill Pearson, of nearby Brewster Road, said: “I don’t see how the plans will to fit on the site, a building of that size is likely to go the whole length of the park, we don’t want a building of
that size on green space.”

Rinaldo Frezzato, NUT division secretary, said teachers were concerned about the potential loss of a “public amenity” if the plans are given the go- ahead.

A council spokesman said the authority owns the whole of the cricket ground site, despite claims from some campaigners that part of the land may belong to trustees.

With regards to how much green space will be lost, the council spokesman said: “It is too early to say, as design work has not yet started, but a feasibility study sketch shows the new building
having a footprint of 0.875 acres.”

Comments (3)

I found the following on Leyton Orient's (just up the road) fan's Message Board)

"I thought that you might like to know that Waltham Forest council wants to build a Learning and Leisure Campus on the Leyton County Ground (http://en.wikipedia
.org/wiki/Leyton_Cri
cket_Ground) and to do so they are re-zoning the whole site, including the cricket pitch. The plan fills a single ambiguous page of A4, so it might be a storm in a tea cup or they might want to build on the lot.

Any suggestions/ objections to the proposal must be made no later than 19th February by e-mailing Chris.loy@walthamfor
est.gov.uk or writing to him at:

Childrens and Young People Services, London Borough of Waltham Forest,
Silver Birch House, Entrance A, Uplands Business Park, Blackhorse Lane, London E17 5SD

The most obvious objection is that this is a valuable community open space with a long history of use by the borough’s young people and others for sporting activities.

Re-developing the buildings and car park to make better use of the pitch would be great but this is Waltham Forest; the same folk who sacked the curator of the William Morris Gallery to save costs whist promising to keep the museum open and then tried to close it because without a professional curator the collection was at risk."

THIS is what I sent to Chris Loy at Waltham Forest Council,

"I understand this proposal is to be determined, probably on 28/4/09 by LBWF Council.

Herewith are my remarks sent to the council, which you are welcome to publish, I am sure they need editing. Please do not publish my house number or street.

"This is what I said to Chris Loy by Email, (/Chris.loy@walthamf
orest.gov.uk) /

"Greetings,

I saw the great Tom Graveny hit consecutive fours with a mere wrist flick when Trevor bailey captained Essex CCC, I was about 13. Glorious!

I read about this on the Leyton Orient Fan's website.

I spend hundreds of pounds if not thousands every year, in LBWF as a season ticket holder.

It is a monstrous idea, with the numbers of people and the need for those folks to have intimate accidental contact with these places to even know what goes on. I remember loving to go upstairs on the bus, just so I could look over the wall!

This is what I said in response on that Fans website

"Oh dear, they are bound to cement over Leyton Orient's ground (there are proposals for the lease to be sold by the football club), don't they realise some kids are not going to be able to get on a bus to Eton Manor or Epping Forest or wherever the open air facilities are because they've been locked in their rooms with Wii's and computers.

I wonder how many kids on a whim go for a walk from Highams Park and end up at Connaught Waters and realise they do not have the money or knowledge to get home for tea. When they do get home Mum chastises serves up congealed meal orders one to remove mud covered clothes and ends up saying, well at least you got home safely and had a good time.

Now on a dark and p*ssing cold night I just adapt to what the circumstances require, usually.

Thanks Mum God rest u!"

I am pessimistic as LBWF gradually decimates it's heritage including the world prestigious William Morris Gallery and it's professional staff.

Please make sure the chair of your council and the chief exec know these views."

And this is his response

"Thank you for your comment. I understand that you are responding to the notice published in last week's edition of the Waltham Forest Guardian and the previous week's edition of WFM regarding the Council's proposal to change the use of the land at Leyton Youth Centre.

Your comment will be taken into account when the Council's Cabinet takes a decision whether to approve the change of use, which we expect it to do at its meeting on 28 April.

I hope lots more people contact their councillors and the council staff, it would be very sad to lose this heritage land where so many of us have and can continue to play sport, right in the heart of Leyton Town.

I found the following on Leyton Orient's (just up the road) fan's Message Board)
"I thought that you might like to know that Waltham Forest council wants to build a Learning and Leisure Campus on the Leyton County Ground (http://en.wikipedia
.org/wiki/Leyton_Cri
cket_Ground) and to do so they are re-zoning the whole site, including the cricket pitch. The plan fills a single ambiguous page of A4, so it might be a storm in a tea cup or they might want to build on the lot.
Any suggestions/ objections to the proposal must be made no later than 19th February by e-mailing Chris.loy@walthamfor
est.gov.uk or writing to him at:
Childrens and Young People Services, London Borough of Waltham Forest,
Silver Birch House, Entrance A, Uplands Business Park, Blackhorse Lane, London E17 5SD
The most obvious objection is that this is a valuable community open space with a long history of use by the borough’s young people and others for sporting activities.
Re-developing the buildings and car park to make better use of the pitch would be great but this is Waltham Forest; the same folk who sacked the curator of the William Morris Gallery to save costs whist promising to keep the museum open and then tried to close it because without a professional curator the collection was at risk."
THIS is what I sent to Chris Loy at Waltham Forest Council,
"I understand this proposal is to be determined, probably on 28/4/09 by LBWF Council.
Herewith are my remarks sent to the council, which you are welcome to publish, I am sure they need editing. Please do not publish my house number or street.
"This is what I said to Chris Loy by Email, (/Chris.loy@walthamf
orest.gov.uk) /
"Greetings,
I saw the great Tom Graveny hit consecutive fours with a mere wrist flick when Trevor bailey captained Essex CCC, I was about 13. Glorious!
I read about this on the Leyton Orient Fan's website.
I spend hundreds of pounds if not thousands every year, in LBWF as a season ticket holder.
It is a monstrous idea, with the numbers of people and the need for those folks to have intimate accidental contact with these places to even know what goes on. I remember loving to go upstairs on the bus, just so I could look over the wall!
This is what I said in response on that Fans website
"Oh dear, they are bound to cement over Leyton Orient's ground (there are proposals for the lease to be sold by the football club), don't they realise some kids are not going to be able to get on a bus to Eton Manor or Epping Forest or wherever the open air facilities are because they've been locked in their rooms with Wii's and computers.
I wonder how many kids on a whim go for a walk from Highams Park and end up at Connaught Waters and realise they do not have the money or knowledge to get home for tea. When they do get home Mum chastises serves up congealed meal orders one to remove mud covered clothes and ends up saying, well at least you got home safely and had a good time.
Now on a dark and p*ssing cold night I just adapt to what the circumstances require, usually.
Thanks Mum God rest u!"
I am pessimistic as LBWF gradually decimates it's heritage including the world prestigious William Morris Gallery and it's professional staff.
Please make sure the chair of your council and the chief exec know these views."
And this is his response
"Thank you for your comment. I understand that you are responding to the notice published in last week's edition of the Waltham Forest Guardian and the previous week's edition of WFM regarding the Council's proposal to change the use of the land at Leyton Youth Centre.
Your comment will be taken into account when the Council's Cabinet takes a decision whether to approve the change of use, which we expect it to do at its meeting on 28 April.
Regards
Chris Loy
BSF Commercial Manager & Project Manager - Leyton Learning and Leisure Project
020 8496 3554
chris.loy@walthamfor
est.gov.uk
Children and Young People Services,
London Borough of Waltham Forest,
Silver Birch House,
Entrance A,
Uplands Business Park,
Blackhorse Lane,
London E17 5SD"
I hope lots more people contact their councillors and the council staff, it would be very sad to lose this heritage land where so many of us have and can continue to play sport, right in the heart of Leyton Town.
Tolkny

The council are trying to get this development done without asking the people of Leyton. The so called consultation can only be called a joke - plans were not displayed and now they are trying to get planning permission through without giving local residents the full story. I suspect this news story was the first many people heard about this development.
People in Leyton do not want a school on the County ground and they certainly dont want Trust schools.

The council are trying to get this development done without asking the people of Leyton. The so called consultation can only be called a joke - plans were not displayed and now they are trying to get planning permission through without giving local residents the full story. I suspect this news story was the first many people heard about this development.
People in Leyton do not want a school on the County ground and they certainly dont want Trust schools.savethecountyground

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